Hillsboro soldier killed in two-vehicle crash in Kuwait

Spc. Jackson D. Johnson, 20, of Hillsboro died March 5 from injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle accident in Kuwait, military officials reported.

Johnson was a 2017 Hillsboro High School graduate.

Another U.S. soldier, Sgt. Holli R. Bolinski, 37, of Pinckneyville, Ill., also died from injuries sustained in the crash, according to a written statement from the Army.

A third U.S. soldier was hurt in the wreck, but that soldier’s name was not released.

The three soldiers were in a military vehicle that collided with a civilian commercial truck in northern Kuwait, the report said.

The soldiers were flown by helicopter to the U.S. Military Hospital-Kuwait at Camp Arifjan.

Bolinski was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, and Johnson died later at the hospital, the Army reported.

Maj. Andy Thaggard of the 184th Sustainment Command in Kuwait said today (March 8) that the commercial vehicle was a water truck and the incident is under investigation. He said he believes the investigation will take “about a month.”

All three soldiers were assigned to the 657th Transportation Detachment, U.S. Army Reserve, based in Mount Vernon, Ill., and were stationed at Camp Arifjan as part of Operation Spartan Shield.

Hillsboro High principal Cathy Freeman said Johnson is remembered fondly at the school.

“He committed himself to the military early,” she said. “We are just so proud of him and were devastated to hear he has died. He was very well thought of in our high school.

“We will be thinking of ways to commemorate him after we speak to his family. We had a moment of silence for him yesterday (March 7).”